Lock-down floating platform mechanism for spooler troughs and doff trucks



April 18, 1961 J. G. FISHER 2,980,287

LOCK-DOWN FLOATING PLATFORM MECHANISM FOR SPOOLER TROUGHS AND DOFF TRUCKS Filed Oct. 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F l G.| F I (5.2

m F aww T 20 34 Lv Fl [7 INVENTOR. James Glenn Fisher April 18, 1961 FlSHER 2,980,287

LOCK-DOWN FLOATING PLATFORM MECHANISM FOR SPOOLER TROUGHS AND DOFF TRUCKS Filed Oct. 6. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "76 F|G.Il

INVEN TOR.

James Glenn Fisher BY Arrys,

Un ed wSPaemQ LOCK-DOWN FLOATING PLATFORM MECHA- NISM FOR SPOOLER TROUGHS AND DOFF TRUCKS James Glenn Fisher, Hartwell, Ga., assignor to Fisher Manufacturing Company, Inc., Hartwell, 6a., a corporation of Georgia Filed Oct. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 765,511

8 Claims. (Cl. 220-93) This invention relates generally to improvements in bobbin or spooler troughs and dotf trucks and is directed particularly to an improved floating platform construction.

In the operation of textile equipment in association with which there are used spooler troughs, dotf trucks and like structures such as disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 659,402, filed May 15, 1957, considerable time is consumed and tiring effort made on the part of attendants in connection with the loading and unloading of the troughs and boxes, and more particularly the unloading or removal of bobbins therefrom and in the application above referred to, an improved floating bottom structure is disclosed which materially reduces the work involved in the removal of the bobbins from the boxes and troughs. In other words, heretofore where no use had been made of floating bottoms, the attendants operating the equipment were required to reach down into the trough or box to take out the bobbins and as the quantity thereof decreased, it necessarily involved greater effort to reach those bobbins farther down as a result of which the work was considerably slowed down and also was very tiring for the operator. The use of the floating bottom units for the boxes and troughs eliminated this extra effort and it resulted in a saving of time.

The floating bottoms for the boxes and troughs, according to the prior invention, were spring elevated and con sequently, when the boxes or troughs had to be filled, it was necessary for someone to depress the floating bottom so that the filling operation could be carried out satisfactorily, otherwise, the bobbins as they are introduced into the trough onto the spring elevated follower bottom would pile up and overflow from the box or trough.

It is a particular object of the present invention, in view of the foregoing, to provide a novel means whereby the spring elevated floating bottom or follower bottom for a spooler trough or doff box may be secured in lowered or depressed position so as to allow the doifer or operator to fill the box easily or permit the packages to fall freely into the box from a hopper without requiring the services of someone to push the bottom down to overcome side drag or friction thereagainst.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel lockdown mechanism for a floating or follower bottom of the character hereinbefore described, which, after the trough or box has been filled, can be easily released so as to permit the spring pressed or actuated bottom to gradually lift the contents of the trough or box as the bobbins or packages are removed therefrom. v

Still another object of the invention is to provide in apparatus of the character stated, a lockdown mechanism which will function automatically upon the depression of the spring elevated bottom or follower to secure the same in a predetermined low position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel lock-down mechanism of the character described which, in addition to functioning automatically, to secure Patented Apr. 18, 1961 and hold the follower bottom, in lowered position, in association with means operated from the exterior of the trough or box for releasing the spring pressed bottom or follower, allows for the use ofheavier springs than heretofore whereby drag friction created by the engagement of material on the follower bottom against the side walls of the box or trough is more readily overcome as the contents of the trough or box are removed or decreased in volume.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of a doff truck carryinga bobbin box equipped with a spring operated floating bottom and lock-down mechanism constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the follower or floating bottom being shown in elevated position;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of one end of the truck supported box shown in Fig. 1 with a portion of the end wall broken away to show the mechanism therein;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1 with the lower portion of the side wall broken away and illustrating the floating bottom secured in lowered position by the said one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail section on an enlarged scale illustrating the manner in which the keeper hook is secured in re-- leasing position;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the hook actuating bar showing the connection of the same with the shank of the hook, the latter being in cross section;

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of a doff truck showing a removable box thereon, a side portion of the box being broken away and illustrating another embodiment of the lock-down mechanism which permits the floating bottom unit to be removed from the box in the locked-down position;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; I

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the box at one end with a portion of the side wall broken away and showing the locked-down mechanism in operative position; i

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the H line 10-10 of Fig. 9 illustrating on an enlarged scale a means for releasing the latch yoke; and t Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view showing the rela-' lation of the latch yoke to the keeper and the yoke releasing means when the floating bottom is elevated.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a dotf truck wherein the doif box is removably mounted in and upon a supporting wheeled frame. In this structure, the box is designated 12 and the side walls 14 and 16 and the end wall 17 and the fixed bottom wall 18 are all joined to-' getber and are set in the base frame at 20. The base frame carries the usual complement of supporting wheels or rollers 21 which facilitate the movement of the truck from place to place. In this construction, it will be seen that the box and hereinafter described parts may ofthe wall 14 which forms the front side of the box.

is inwardly inclined as designated at 22 which permits the placement of the box in operative position at the front of a spooler machine in those establishments where the ispooler machine does not have a permanently installed spooler trough at the front thereof. This inwardly inclined wall portion 22 also has a further advantage in the use of the box, as hereinafter set forth.

Located within the box 12 is a follower bottom or platform 23 which may be of any desired construction but preferably is formed of a plurality of longitudinally extending angle iron members 24 as illustrated in detail in my copending application hereinbefore referred to.

The follower bottom 23 is supported upon two or more coil springs 25 which at their upper ends are secured to the underside of the bottom and have their lower ends resting upon and'secured to the box bottom 18.

Operatively coupling the follower bottom 23 with the bottom 18 of the box is a pair of lazy tongs 27, each pair being located at one side of the box as illustrated in Fig. 2, and each of the lazy tongs embodies the two cross arms 2% pivotally coupled together intermediate their ends as designated at 29. These lazy tongs are disposed in vertical planes, as shown, and at one end of the box one arm of each pair is pivotally secured as at 30 to a bracket 31 mounted on the box bottom 18 while the corresponding end of the adjacent arm is pivotally secured at at 32 to a similar bracket 33 which is attached to the underside of the overlying follower platform.

The opposite end of the box bottom 18 has an elongate bracket 34 secured longitudinally thereof adjacent to each side of the box and this bracket has a longitudinal slot 35 therein and above the bracket 34 one each side of the follower, there is secured to the underside of the follower, a corresponding bracket 36 having a longitudinal guide slot 37 therein. The other ends of the pairs of crossed lazy tong arms 28 are pivotally and slidably connected as at 38 in adjacent guide slots 35 and 37 and it will be seen from this that upon the up and down movement of the follower, the lazy tongs will function to keep the follower horizontal at all times.

The lock-down mechanism in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6, comprises in association with a keeper loop 39 which is secured to the underside of the follower 23 to hang down therefrom, a hook bolt 40 which is pivotally supported on the box bottom 18 in a suitable manner. As an example, the hook bolt here shown comprises a long shank portion 41 having a hook head 42. at one end, the top surface of which is inclined or sloping as at 43 to function in the nature of a earn as hereinafter described.

Supported at opposite sides of the box bottom 18 are bearing sockets 4-4 and extending across between the sockets is a rock shaft 45 having its ends rotatably seated in the bearing sockets 44. The shaft 45 has the other end of the hook shank rigidly secured thereto and the hook bolt is located in the vertical plane of the keeper loop 39 whereby when the loop is lowered with the depression of the follower 2 3, it will ride over the sloping top edge or surface 43 and swing the hook in the proper direction to permit the hook, upon its return movement, to engage in the keeper loop.

The keeper loop 39 and the hook bolt 40 are located approximately at the transverse center of the box so that a follower 23 when held in lowered position will be stabilized, and connected with the back of the hook bolt shank 41 is an actuator 46 constructed as follows.

The actuator comprises an elongate bar '47 which is bifurcated at one end as indicated at '48 to provide the two spaced parallel furcation's 49. These furcations receive between them a pin or bolt 59 which is pivotally joined to the shank 41 of the hook bolt in a suitable manner as, for example, by passing through a sleeve 51 spasm-a? i 4 here shown as joined by welding or in any other suitable way to and transversely of the shank 41.

The actuator extends longitudinally of the box from the back of the shank 41 and at its other end extends through one end wall 17 ofthe box and through a keyhole slot 52 which preferably is formed in a plate 53 which is fixed to the said end wall in line with the opening through which the bar passes. The outer end of the bar 47 carries on the outside of the adjacent end wall the head 54 to facilitate grasping the rod when it is desired to lock the bolt.

A portion of the bar 47 on the inner side of the wall 17 through which it passes has flatted opposite sides 55, which when the actuator 46 is pulled out to the proper extent, permits the rod to drop into the offset portion 52a of the keyhole slot so as to secure the actuator against reverse movement under the action of the expansion spring 56, which spring encircles the bar on the inner side of the end wall, hearing at one end against the end wall and at its other end against a collar 57 fixed to the bar. As will be readily apparent, the function .of this spring is to constantly urge the hook bolt to swing to a set position where it can be readily engaged by the keeper loop 39 when the follower is forced downwardly in the manner previously described.

In order to hold the actuator 46 against movement too far inwardly where the head of the hook bolt will be out of proper position for engagement by the keeper loop 39, the bar may have a suitable lug 58 thereon on the outer side of the plate 53 to engage the latter and thus limit the movement of the actuator.

The flatted side portions 55 of the bar 47 are so positioned that when the follower bottom 23 is depressed and the keeper loop 39 rides down on the head of the hook to swing the latter rearwardly, such flatted sides will not be moved outwardly sufiicient to permit the bar to drop into the offset 52a of the keyhole slot. However, after the box has been loaded and it is desired to release thefollower so that the springs '25 can force it upwardly, the operator will grasp the handle head 54 and pull the actuator back sufficiently far to release the keeper loop and also far enough to drop the flattened part of the bar into the keyhole slot offset thereby locking the hook bolt in a rearwardly swung position shown in Fig. 5. This will then permit the follower to rise as desired as it is lightened by the removal of bobbins therefrom.

Referring now to 'Figs. 7 to ll, there is illustrated a second embodiment of the hold-down latching mechanism for a spring urged follower of similar construction to that illustrated and described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3. In these latter Figures 7 to 11, there is illustrated a doffer truck generally designated 59 in which the bobbin box here generally designated 69 is fixed to or non-removably carried by the wheeled frame. The box 60 here shown is of the same general construction as the box 12 previously described with the exception that the side and end walls thereof are fixed to the supporting roller frame. Here the front and rear side walls are designated 61 and 62 respectively and the end walls, one only of which is shown in detail, are designated 63.

The truck frame is generally designated 6-.- and is of rectangular form and constructed of angle iron material as illustrated and shown particularly in Figs. 7, 9 and 10 where the angle iron is designated 65. The side and end walls in this construction extend below the upstanding flanges of the angle iron frame 64 and are secured thereto so that in this type of truck, the box and the wheel or roller supported frame are non-separable.

The supporting rollers forming a part of the truck structure are designated 66 and are suitably secured to the frame 64 by means of cross bars 67 secured to the side members of the frame 64. While this particular arrangement for attaching the rollers 66 to the frame 64 may be preferred, it is to be understood that the invention i's'not limited to the construction as the rollers obviously may be secured to theframe 64 to support the box in any other suitable manner.

The floating bottom structure in this second embodiment of the invention is designed so as to be fully removable from the box 60 when the follower portion thereof is secured in locked-down position. This floating bottom structure as a whole is here designated 68 and comprises a base frame 69 of rectangular form having longitudinal side members 70 and transverse end members 71, and extending across between the side members 70 are intermediate plates 72 and 73. There are here shown two of the intermediate plates 73 upon which are mounted the springs 74 which support and urge upwardly a follower 75, the construction of which may be of any desired character but preferably is the same as that shown in Fig. 2 and in my previously referred to copending application.

The follower 75 carries, as in the other structures, mounting ears 76 at one end and the elongate longitudinally slotted brackets 77 at the other end, the ears and brackets being at opposite sides of the follower as will be readily understood and at opposite sides of the frame 69 are the lower mounting ears 78 and longitudinally slotted elongate brackets 79.

As in the previously described structure, the ears 76 and 78 and the brackets 77 and 79 are operatively coupled together by the pairs of lazy tongs, each pair here I being generally designated by the reference character 80.

The crossed bars of each pair of lazy tongs are designated 81 and 82 and one bar is pivotally attached at one end to an ear 76 while the other bar is pivotally attached at the corresponding end to the car 78 for fixed pivotal movement while the opposite ends of these bars are slidably and pivotally coupled to the slotted brackets 77 and 79.

In the illustration of the connections, the lower end of the bar 82 of each lazy tong unit is connected to the lower slotted bracket 79 and these bars 82 carry on their inner opposed sides and adjacent to their lower ends opposing bearing sockets 83. Extending across between and connecting the lower ends of the bars 82 is a rock shaft 84 which forms an element of a swinging latch which is generally designated 85 and this shaft has secured to it an elongate yoke of generally U-shaped form having the short parallel side members 86 and the intermediate connecting bar 87 which parallels the shaft 84.

Supported beneath the pivoted latch structure is a 7 horizontal rod 88 which is here shown as lying approximately in the longitudinal central plane of the box 60 and is supported at its ends in a suitable manner to maintain a fixed position, the rod here being shown as fixed at its ends to an adjacent cross member 71 and a support 89 mounted on the cross plate 72, The bar 87 of the pivoted or swinging latch structure normally rests upon the top of the rod 88 to slide back and forth with the back and forth movements of the pivoted lower ends of the rods 82 as the follower 75 is raised and lowered.

Adjacent to the outer end of the rod 88, that is, the end of the rod remote from the center of the box, is a keeper member 90 in the form of a triangular block, the base portion 91 of which is directed away from the latch shaft 84 while the edge forming the hypotenuse of the triangle and designated 92 is directed toward the shaft and the latch bar 87 so that this bar may ride up on the inclined edge 92 when the lower ends of the rods 82 are moved outwardly and drop behind the keeper or in a position across the base portion 91.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that when it is desired to lock the follower 75 in down position where the springs are compressed as shown in Fig. 9, when the follower is pressed down so as to collapse the lazy tongs, the pivoted and slidably mounted ends of the bar 82 will shift from the inner ends of the slotted brackets 79 toward the outer ends thereof. This will move the latching structure in the same direction, sliding the bar 87 on the rod 88 as above described until the bar 87 rides over the keeper and drops behind the same or across the base portion 91 and since the keeper 90 is fixed to the frame 71, the arms 82 of the lazy tongs will be held against reverse movement and the springs cannot elevate the follower 75 until the latch bar 87 is raised sufficiently to be released from its engagement with the keeper 90.

It will also be seen from the foregoing that when the follower is in lowered position and secured by the latching mechanism, the entire floating bottom structure can be lifted out through the top of the box 69,

To facilitate the release of the mechanism after it has been locked, there is provided the uncoupling or releasing shaft 93 which, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, is rockably supported in a suitable manner beneath the truck frame 64. In the illustration here given, the shaft 93 is mounted at its inner end in a bearing member 94 while at its outer end it passes through the bearing sleeve 95 in the lower part of the end wall 63 and upon the outer side of this wall 63, the shaft 93 joins an upwardly extending lever 96.

The shaft 93 carries a release finger 97 which is positioned so as to be in the vertical plane occupied by the bar 87 of the latching unit when this bar is engaged or hooked across the keeper 90 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 9. It will be obvious therefore that when the latching unit or latching structure is operative to hold the follower down, release of the latching means may be effected by rocking the shaft 93 so as to swing the free end of the release finger upwardly against the bar 87 and raise it to an elevation above the keeper 96 thus permitting the springs 74 to exert their upward thrust and effect elevation of the follower 75.

Means is provided for holding the lever 96 in either of two positions, one position being such as to maintain the release finger 97 in upright position if so desired while the other position is such as to hold the release finger in down or inoperative position. This holding means for the lever 96 may be of any suitable type of design but is here shown as comprising an elongate lug 98 which has the longitudinally arcuate outer surface 99 as shown most clearly in Fig. 8. This keeper lug is so positioned that when the lever 96 is in one vertical position as, for example, when it isin a position where the finger 97 is lowered as shown in Fig. 10, the lever 11 extends across one end of the arcuate face or edge 99 and in order to move the lever 96 to the opposite position and secure it with the finger 97 upright, and in latch releasing position, the lever is sprung out to slide across the high point of the arcuate surface 99 so as to be positioned at the opposite end of such surface. I

. While this means of holding the lever 96 in either of its two positions is preferred because of its relative simplicity, obviously any other suitable means may be provided.

The springs 25 which elevate the follower bottom or platform 23 are of heavy construction, being in some instances in the nature of pound springs. Springs of this strength are necessary since the total weight of the filled box may be anywhere from 156 pounds to 225 pounds.

As hereinbefore stated, the inclined wall portion 22 has an advantage in addition to that set forth whereby the placement of the box in operative position at the front of the spooler machine is permitted, which is that it functions to prevent the springs from pushing the filled packages entirely through or out of the open top of the box. It will be readily apparent that when the follower platform has a number of packages thereon, and particu larly when the load has been materially reduced, the springs can exert considerable force on the rising follower and without a means being provided tolimit the upward movement, before the restraining action of the lazy-tongs comes into effect, the load might be raised to the elevation where the filled packages could spill out. However, when the platform is loaded the packages will be forced against the inner or downwardly facing side of the wall portion 22 and more or less jammed between this portion and the back wall so that excessive elevation of the packages will be prevented. Thus it will be seen that there is a definite coaction between the sloping top and the platform. Also it will be noted that the front to back width of the platform is approximately the same as the front to back dimensions of the receptacle or box in the plane of the lower portion of the inclined wall 22, which dimension is considerably greater than the front to rear dimension of the open top.

While the foregoing description and illustration of the invention have designated the invention as used in association with a doff truck in which in one case the box is removable and in another case it is a fixed part of the truck structure, it is to be understood that the invention as disclosed in either of the two embodiments is applicable to a spooler trough such as that illustrated and described in my copending application hereinbefore referred to where the spooler trough is mounted upon a leg supported frame or upon supporting legs permanently positioned at the front of the spooler.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that there is provided by the present invention, in the two embodiments illustrated and described, a novel latching or hold down means for maintaining the followers of the floating bottom structures in lowered or depressed position when desired to facilitate the loading of the boxes and this hold-down mechanism is such in either of the embodiments that it may be easily and quickly released after the box with which it is associated has been filled so that the springs may then take over and elevate the followers as the material in the box is reduced in quantity, the springs thereby always maintaining the topmost portion of the material in the box near the open top of the box to reduce the Work or effort required to take out the bobbins or other material as desired or necessary.

I claim:

1. In textile handling apparatus comprising a receptacle having an open top, side walls and a bottom, the combination with a floating supporting structure mounted within said receptacle and comprising a false bottom and supporting spring elements normally urging upward movement of the false bottom, lazy tong units connecting the false bottom with the bottom of the receptacle, said lazy tong units including pivoted crossed arms wherein one arm of each unit has pivotal sliding engagement with the floating supporting structure, means securing the false bottom in depressed position only against the resistance of said springs, the means comprising a first keeper element of U-shaped configuration and carried by the floating support structure, a second keeper element carried by the receptacle bottom, the second keeper element having a triangular shaped head portion with an upwardly positioned camming surface over which the first keeper element rides upon the said depressing movement of the slidably attached ends of the lazy tong arms to effect the interengagement of the keeper elements and a release means carried by the bottom of the receptacle and extending through a side wall of the receptacle and operable from the exterior of the receptacle, the release means actuating one of the keeper elements .to release the other keeper element and thereby release the false bottom allowing the springs to raise the false bottom.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the first keeper element is fixedly mounted on the floating supporting structure and the second keeper element is pivotally mounted on the bottom of the receptacle withthe release means connected thereto.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2, wherein one of the side walls has an inwardly inclined portion adjacent the open top of the receptacle, the dimension of the open top being less than the dimension of the receptacle in a horizontal plane passing through the lower part of the inclined portion whereby the upper part of the receptacle will prevent the spilling over of the contents of the receptacle when the contents is under pressure from the springs urging the false bottom upwardly.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein one of the side walls has an inwardly inclined portion adjacent the open top of the receptacle, the dimension of the open top being less than the dimension of the receptacle in a horizontal plane passing through the lower part of the inclined portion whereby the upper part of the receptacle will prevent the spilling over of the contents of the receptacle when the contents is under pressure from the springs urging the false bottom upwardly.

5. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the first keeper element is pivotally mounted on the floating supporting structure and the second keeper element is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the receptacle, the release means actuating the first keeper element to release the same from the second keeper element.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein the release means is a rockable finger operable from the exterior of the receptacle for imparting a raising movement to the first keeper element to release the first keeper element from the second keeper element.

7. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein the release means comprises a shaft extending transversely of the receptacle and supported for rocking movement, a lever connected to an end of the shaft and disposed in an upright position at one side of the receptacle, a pin carried by the shaft and engaging the first keeper element to pivot the same upon rocking of the shaft thereby releasing the first keeper element from the second keeper element.

8. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein one of the side walls has an inwardly inclined portion adjacent the open top of the receptacle, the dimension of the open top being less than the dimension of the receptacle in a horizontal plane passing through the lower part of the in clined portion whereby the upper part of the receptacle will prevent the spilling over of the contents of the re ceptacle when the contents is under pressure from the springs urging the false bottom upwardly.

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